Readers' Forum
Treatment of khandhias
The khandhias who perform an amazing service for the community are treated as untouchables. Why? In Zoroastrianism, there is no caste system. Now it seems that the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) has asked for volunteers to do the job. Will the volunteers also be treated similarly? Formerly, family members took care of the bodies of their dear departed and consigned them to the dakhma. This can be done once again, and there can be volunteers as well.
Khandhia seated on a bench outside a Doongerwadi bungli
The sky burial system (dakhmenashini) is a wonderful and ecologically sound system of disposal of the dead. Even the Tibetans practice this and it works well in the high elevations of the mountainous areas. Unfortunately, there are no vultures left to eat the dead bodies and the solar panels don’t do the job quickly. During the monsoon they don’t work at all. I cannot imagine leaving dead bodies open to the elements to just rot. Other carnivorous animals would happily devour the bodies, but can they be housed at Doongerwadi in a humane manner?
So we come back to the khandhias and what they must experience on a daily basis as they take bodies into the dakhma. If the BPP has nothing to hide about the state of the dakhmas, why don’t they throw them open to the community? After all, people have a right to know what is happening to the bodies of their family members and what will happen to them after they pass on. There should be no secrecy. And if the conditions are so great, the BPP will have extra leverage against the khandhias. But I have a feeling there is no wage raise high enough to alleviate the suffering khandhias must go through on a daily basis as they deal with bodies day in and day out.
I am also embarrassed that the community in India is not standing up for what is good and right although that is what our religion teaches. I have been shocked when on visits to India I have seen Parsis throwing trash off their balconies into the colonies and streets. Our religion teaches us to take care of the earth, nature and the elements and I am appalled that people pollute like this. If you do this in the US you will be fined and possibly even arrested! I hope the community in India does some soul searching and realizes that there should not be any discrimination and that we should always speak out when we see injustice taking place.
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